The Music of the Storm

By: Elisabeth Lau

The heart beats as

the time tick-

                                    tick-

                                                           ticks away.

The never-ending pound-

                                                     pound-

                                                                               pounding escalates 

with swift speed. 

                          Competing. 

                                          Bolting.

Faster 

and faster

than the leisurely sustained seconds. 

Absorbing the music as it flows 

seems effortless to the eye, but  

far more complex to the ear;

From the moment you tap the play button

to when silence encases your surroundings,

It skyrockets from a Grave 

to a Moderato, 

                           Allegro, 

                                        Presto! 

The sounds creep

                                 nearer 

                                             and nearer 

                                                              to your heart and mind,

further

and further

​from where you started. 

Your heart cannot slow down,

You try taking a deep breath,

But it leads to being futile against the prodigious power.

You can’t escape from the notes, chords, staccato, rhythms…  

Prestissimo! 

It’s no longer a song. 

It’s a loose hurricane. 

You no longer have control.

You no longer stand a chance against this straining storm.

You no longer know

when it will end. 

All of a sudden, 

everything stops. 

The heart is settled, 

back to its normal rhythm,

yet throbbing thirstily.

As if it’s still unsatisfied,

yearning for something more.

Though time cannot be reversed.

Returned from the acute astronomic adventure,

Back to leisurely car rides.

Back in sync 

with time.

(We now know storms don’t last forever, 

yet the feeling still lingers. 

Will the hurricane ever make its return? 

Well that is up to fate.)